Games
by dementorgirl
Summary: Harry finds himself ensnared by a game. Guided by someone trully unexpected. PG-13 just to be safe
1. Default Chapter

I own nothing. All characters belong to J.K. Rowling. I am just borrowing them for a while.

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Harry was quite thrilled to be let out of the house for a while. Aunt Petunia was so angry, at him for something that he didn't do and told him to get out of her sight.

He took that opportunity to leave the house for a time. He will have to make up for it later but he didn't care about that, he was free from his family for a while. The problem was that he didn't know where to go from there. 

When he reached two blocks away form the house he began to feel a little strange as if there was a pull on him to go back to the house. As he walked on he felt like he passed a barrier of sorts. He must have passed the barrier of the wards. The feeling of being very alone passed through him suddenly and wanted to go back but resisted that idea. 

There were only two more weeks until his sixth year at Hogwarts would begin. So much as happened in the past year. Harry came very close to death on more than one occasion last year, even after following all the rules he was instructed to follow. Whether he intentionally broke or followed the rules set before him he seemed to get into trouble. It followed him, stalked him so he learned last year to accept that. 

That feeling came back again but this time it told him to run back to the house. NOW! He looked around and nothing seemed to be out of place and his scar wasn't hurting. But not liking the feeling he was getting he slowly began to walk back down the street to the house. He couldn't. There was a force it seemed, like an invisible wall that prevented him from going back. Walking away from the house was easy enough but he could go back.

Now it hit him. Harry realized that he was in serious trouble. No wand or anything to protect himself he ran. He knew he was only a short distance from the central city. He could call and get a ride back. Or could he? 

He stopped and tested it again. This time when he pushed back onto the barrier he was thrown backwards. He landed a good two meters away onto someone's lawn. He sat there for a second then darted off into town and into a shop as asked if he could use the phone. He was a little lost.

The owner an older woman looked at him with an odd look. "Where do you need to go?"  
"Little Winning Surry."

"Then go strait down that street and turn left at Morris Lane. Is that all?"

"That's all thank-you."

Harry left there not knowing what to do. It was getting dark out now and he couldn't get back home and explainations as to why could not be given out. He sat down on a park bench and thought for a moment. Not happy with the shop owner and didn't press things otherwise it would only attract attention to himself. Things could get very bad if he didn't watch it. The sun had set he only had another half hour before things got very dark out. He looked up and saw someone dressed in dark clothes sit across form him on another park bench. The man didn't look at Harry at all, he pulled out a newspaper and began to read it. Why would someone read a newspaper in the dark?

One thought entered his mind. A Deatheater. 

Instead of running away he aproached the man. Harry new well enough that without a wand he was very much outmatched so running would do him very little good. "Muggles don't read newspapers in the dark. How many of you are there?"

The man put the paper beside himself and pulled out his wand. He smiled at Harry and invited him to take a seat. "Please sit down." As Harry sat the man stood up. "That is a good boy. Now I have to tell you that it is quite a privilage to be the one to hand you over to Voldemort Harry. Don't worry he has no interest in killing you this time."

"Who are you? You might as well tell me your name since I saw your face."

"Oh my name hasn't changed Harry, just my face and voice."

Harry was confused but couldn't figure it out. "Give up Potter?" The tone was now familiar.

"Prof. Snape?"

With a flick of his wand he transformed back into the image of Snape. "Very good Potter. Now would you like to see what other tricks I can do?" He held the tip of his wand to Harry's scar. Muffled words Harry couldn't recognize were all that he heard before a purple light envoloped him. 

He felt very light headed and very warm and fell into a very deep sleep.


	2. Shattered Mirror

Thanks for responding to the story. It is appreciated. As I said before I own nothing, none of the characters I'm just having a little fun.

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His eyes opened to the burning sun and shut them quickly again. Turning his head to avoid the brightness he found that he was in a very familiar place. Madame Pomfrey walked up to him and blocked the sunlight.

"You seem to get here earlier each year."

He would have found that funny if he knew how he had gotten here in the first place. The last thing he remembered was trying to get back to the house then Snape pointing his wand at him. At that moment Harry jumped out of the bed almost knocking Madame Pomfrey over in the process.

"Harry you can't leave yet. Get back here!"

He didn't hear her and was running down the hallway to get to Dumbledore as soon as he could. One more flight of stairs and around two more corners. At the last corner he ran into the one person he was hoping with his life to avoid.

"I see you awoke Potter. What are you doing out of the infirmary?"

Harry got up and stared daggers at Snape. "You know very well why. You traitor."

"If I am a traitor then why did your Uncle bring you to me?"

Mouth opened then shut. Harry was beside himself now in an attempt to process the new information he just heard. "You two hate each other."

"Now are you willing to listen and start using that wasted space between your ears?" Harry remained silent as Snape spoke about the events that happened in the past two days. "You were found being cursed by a Deatheater that took on my form. Another showed up ready to take you to Voldemort with a portkey. Your Uncle attacked the one with the portkey which drew attention away from you. Somehow he got out the mess and arrived on my doorstep with you." He took Harry back to the infirmary to the attention of a rather upset Madame Pomfrey and a very worried Dumbledore.

"Back to bed with you."

Harry did without question now a little more curious than ever to find out more of the past events. Snape and Dumbledore where speaking with one another while the, now, very cranky Mediwitch did a few more tests. They were more to make sure he wouldn't leave the bed again.

Dumbledore sat next to Harry's bedside. "You gave us quite the fright Harry. We almost through you were not going to make it through. Now I know you have many questions and I will make an attempt to answer them all in what I am going to say. So please be patient with this old man.

"You left your house and passed beyond the wards. They were attempting to pull you back. But there was, not to our knowledge, a spell that was cast to prevent you from going back within the protection of the wards. So you went further away in an attempt no doubt to contact your family to retrieve you. There was a Deatheater awaiting you after you and would have very likely taken you to Voldemort. Your Uncle saved you Harry and brought you to Prof. Snape as proof to you that he was not the one who attacked you. Because of this you will be staying for the next week until the school term begins at Hogwarts. Prof. Snape will be taking you to get your supplies needed for the year as he has to go to London for some supplies himself."

Harry all of a sudden felt very tired again. At least he felt a little more secure in knowing what had happened but was disappointed when he was told that he could not see his Uncle for he went into hiding again. He fell asleep hearing Madame Pomfrey tell everyone to leave and give Harry some rest.

The next morning he woke up to a wonderful breakfast. After filling himself to the brim he was allowed to leave and go sort out his things that where awaiting him in his room. Hedwig was there with a letter from his Uncle. 

'Harry I hope that you are alright. I was worried sick about you. Dumbledore told me what happened after I left you with Snape. Sorry about the shock of that but it was for the best. I wouldn't want you to accuse him of something he didn't do. That would have done you no good.

I will be writing you throughout the year. Have a safe year Harry

Love,

Snuffles.

Harry put the letter away happy that his uncle was safe. But there was a few more questions he wanted answered but found that it would be better to ask them at a later date. They probably wouldn't know anything more anyhow. He had to admit to himself he was rather rattled about the whole affair. That was cutting things a little too close for his comfort once again.

For the past few hours until lunch he finished his homework and began to re-read some of his old texts from second and third year. They seemed pretty basic to him now but found that there were a few things that he didn't remember.

He roamed the castle for a while trying to avoid Snape in the process. Harry walked down corridors he knew well and others that he was not so familiar with. Down one of the not so well known halls he came across a door that he was curious to walk through. He opened it with a simple unlocking spell and walked through. 

The door closed behind him and he found himself in the dungeons; to be more precise in the potions classroom with an annoyed Professor looking at him.

"I see you have been lurking in the southern wing. Well now there will be no excuse to being late for classes while you are there."

"Sorry Professor." Harry turned to leave but thought it better to thank the man that brought him back to Hogwarts. "Um Professor?"

Looking up from a thick leather book. "Yes Potter?"

"Thank-you for helping me."

"It's not like I had a choice. Is that all?"

There was something else Harry wanted to supress but kept coming back up again. "There is one more thing. I am sorry that I accused you. It's just that your face was the last thing I saw."

Snape stopped Harry from speaking any further. "It is not unreasonable that you came to that conclusion before knowing all the facts. Not like I expected you to do so, Miss Granger wasn't here to research things for you so you would have all the answers. I will be leaving in two days to London to acquire some supplies. At that time you will be given the opportunity to purchase your school supplies. Is that understood?"

"Yes Sir."

Two days later Harry and Snape where in Diagon Ally together. Harry was on the lookout for anyone from school. To his disappointment he had not found anyone. Snape did something that surprised Harry. He was brought down Nockturn Ally. Snape said that he was not allowed to leave Harry for any length of time and some of the ingredients could only be bought there.

The shop they had both entered was full of the most bizarre of things and smelled foul and sweet at the same time. He didn't ask Snape any questions for if he did it would lengthen the time they had to spend there. He recognized some of the herbs and ingredients so put to rest any assumptions of dark magic.

A week later the new school term had begun. He told Hermionie and Ron about what had happened to him. Hermionie was distressed and Ron wanted to know everything about Knockturn Ally and what Snape was buying from there. Then the conversation was drawn towards quittage. The first two weeks of school where as normal as things could get being in a place where magic was literally in the air. But something bothered Harry. It seemed small at first. But then it came back again and again until he went to explore it.

In the third week of the first term he looked into the mirror in the bathroom and saw something in the reflection behind him. He turned around but nothing was there. He could have sworn that he saw the infirmary, but very faint. It went away when he checked the mirror again and dismissed it as early morning fuzzies.

During lunch he went back to the same mirror to search again. This time the image was more clear. It was the infirmary and Dumbledore was looking at him and speaking. The image was looking up at him as if Harry was starring at them as if he was in bed. He concentrated and the image became more clear. Now he definitely knew something was wrong. He had to speak with Dumbledore. Looking back at the mirror he found it was shattered.


	3. Dark and Twisted Hallway

As said before I own nothing of the Harry Potter Universe. Read and enjoy.

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Shards of broken glass littered the floor where Harry stood. He pulled out his wand out of reflex before something unknown to him attacks. He held his breath for a moment making sure that he was free to leave the bathroom. He took slow crackling steps until he left. Before he left he heard the sound of more mirrors shatter. He looked around and found that all the mirrors in the bathroom had shattered to pieces. There was not one shard that was big enough for him to look into and see anything of recognizable quality.

Harry left to search for anyone at this point and found, much to his relief, Hermione. "Hermione. I need you to see something, just to make sure that I am not seeing things." He brought her back to the bathroom much to her hesitation for entering the boy's bathroom. She entered none the less and asked why she was dragged in here for. 

Not one mirror was shattered. "I don't understand Hermione. When I left the bathroom they were all shattered. Now they are not. I saw something in them before they shattered. My perspective as if I was in the infirmary lying down in bed. And from that perspective I saw a couple of Professors. What could it mean?"

She thought for a moment and only gave him a worried look. "Perhaps there's a side effect to whatever happened to you. I don't remember reading in 'Hogwarts a History' about there being self repairing mirrors in the school. But I could be wrong."

"I'd be surprised if you couldn't write the book out from memory."

"I attempted it once and missed a chapter."

Harry glared at her. He thought she would have limits somewhere. Hermione laughed at him. "That was my idea of a joke Harry." He laughed in turn. "Besides, why would I write the book out when a simple spell can make a copy." Harry laughed harder then suddenly stopped when someone else entered the bathroom.

This was not turning out to be a very good day at all and it would only get worse from here. "What are you doing in here Mudblood?" A smile grew on his face. "No wait. I want to hear it from you Potter."

Harry had no idea what to say. Guaranteed that after this affair was over he would have a thousand answers, but none at this critical moment. "None of your business Malfoy."

"Well I am making it my business. Now don't give me any lies about you to getting together or anything. Weasley will get jealous. So tell me the truth Potter."

"Why the interest Malfoy? Aren't you going to tell on us or something?" Harry was not in the mood for this. "Um, Hermione you should leave. Just in case someone else enters."

"Good point Harry." She gladly left the bathroom.

"I now know something that you don't want me to know. Why was she here?" He stepped closer, arms casually folded in front of him with his classic smirk on his face.

"Fine. I saw something in the mirror and I wanted to see if Hermione could see it to. And to answer the next question, I brought her here because I found her first. I was a little too eager before finding Ron."

Draco was more curious but the smile faded a little. "What did you see?"

"The infirmary."

"I see. What perspective was it in?"

"Me lying down in bed." Harry stopped and looked at Draco. Why would he ask that question? "Why did you ask that question?"

Draco smirked and left the room. Harry was angry, curious and then scared again when thinking of the mirrors. This time he would see Dumbledore about this.

To his disappointment Dumbledore was not able to answer Harry's questions about the mirrors. He advised Harry to see the school nurse but didn't force him. The matter would be looked into. Well by now Hermione would be searching for answers to this new puzzle. If she didn't know the answer it was a given that she would look for one. He walked to the library in search of her. 

Just as he was expecting, he found her sounded with a pile of books. One was open before her. "Did you find anything yet?"

Hermione said nothing. Upon further inspection he found out she wasn't moving either. "Hermione?" Nothing. He reached out to her and she began to crumble into a pile of dust, covering the books, chair, table and floor. "Hermione!!!"

"What's wrong Potter?" Draco was behind him. "I see the mudblood has turned to dust. There's something ironic in that, but I just can't place it."

"You are here again. You know something Malfoy. What happened to Hermione?"

Draco pulled out a non-dusted chair and sat down and relaxed into the chair. "You have no idea what is going on do you?"

"What gave you that impression? Now what happened to Hermionie?"

Draco rolled his eyes. "You where not told? Now this complicates things." He stood up and thought for a moment. Then looked at Harry in a manner that was not very Draco Malfoy like at all. "I am your guide. I am the one that points out the things that don't match up and help with the clues. It is most unfortunate that you didn't get to pick your guide. But from the look you are giving me you where not given no choice to be here either."

Harry stood back for a moment. Many things where running through his head. This wasn't Draco. It looked like him, walked and smirked like him. "You are not really Draco Malfoy are you?"

"Correct! Ten points to Griffindor."

Harry was getting a headache and he had to sort things out very soon or he would find himself in a greater mess than he is in now. He brought himself back to the park bench, then the curse, after that was the mirror, Hermione and now this Draco copy.

"Fine. You are my guide. Now guide me. Where am I?"

"Finally Potter, you asked a question worth answering. Did Hermione tell you to ask it?"

Harry looked oddly at the guide. "You do realize that you are not Draco right?"

"Sorry, rules. I have to keep in character for at least ninety percent of the time."

"Fine answer the question."  
"You are in a game of minds. You and another player are trying to win. In this game the one who holds most control of the situation wins. And by the way Potter, you are really far behind."

Harry knew the questions would have to be very specific. If he had to ask the real Draco anything he knew it would be like pulling teeth. "Who is the other player?"

"He who must not be named."

"How far ahead of me his he?"

"Five levels."

"How many levels are there?"

"Twelve."

"What level am I at?"

"Two."

Harry thought a moment. How could he be at level two if he just started the game? "How did I make it to level two?"

"First level is entering the game. Second level is being able to see outside the game."

"What does level three consist of?"

"A test."

"What type of test?"

A smirk a mocking bow was all Harry received, but not without one last Draco like comment. "Why don't you ask the pile of mudblood covering the table and chair? This is where I leave you." The Draco copy left the library with Harry following. Harry followed through the doors only to face a dark and twisted hallway.


End file.
